1. P ARTNERSHIPS IN W ILDFIRE M ITIGATION NFPA Backyards and Beyond November 15, 2013 Jerry McAdams, Boise Fire Department Julia Grant, Boise Parks and Recreation Jennifer Tomlinson, Boise Planning and Development Services

2. The Risk

3. How We Got Here August 25, 2008 – Oregon Trail Fire 50 mph windstorm near electrical utilities 20 homes caught fire 1 resident died

4. Recover and Reduce Risk Directive from Boise City Council: Identify the WUI Adopt construction standards Develop a mitigation team Identify funding sources

5. Identify the WUI and Adopt Fire- Resistant Construction Standards Two WUI Zones 32,000 acres 6,500 homes WUI construction standards New construction standards Fire-resistant vegetation Defensible space New developments Fire safety plan

6. Develop a Wildfire Mitigation Team Parks, Fire and Planning Inventory existing conditions Prioritize, plan and manage Find funding sources

7. Identify Funding Sources Get creative with extremely limited resources NIFC – Boise area is politically visible Boise District BLM funding Prior to 2011 No City sponsored wildfire mitigation projects From 2011 to present approximately 15 projects total grant funding of approximately $400,000 projects range from neighborhood chippers to large scale re vegetation of public lands

8. Funding Sources Regional RC&D Federal Grants State Grants Private Foundations Firewise City/County Budget Corporations Colleges & Universities Impact Fees Land Banking Taxing Districts NA’s & HOA’s Other Entities

9. Building Partnerships

10. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Boise District BLM Ada County City of Boise City of Eagle Idaho Department of Fish & Game

11. Southwest Idaho Resource Conservation & Development Council (SWID RC&D) Regional non-profit organization Funding agent Organizational support Partnership building Resourceful and helpful

12. Neighborhood Associations & HOA’s Residents greatest asset first line of defense Goals build awareness Inform residents Firewise Communities Boise Firewise Communities 2010 – Two 2012 – Four 2013 – Six (2 pending) NA’s & HOA’s take over responsibility

13. Firewise Resource for information and print materials Goal to increase number of Firewise Communities

14. Fire Corps Nationally recognized organization Offshoot of Citizen Corps with BHS funding Training and print resources Increase capacity for mitigation activities

15. FIRE-UP Summer program for high school students Successful partnership: State Farm Insurance, Northwest Nazarene University, BLM, Meridian School District and residents living in surveyed WUI areas

16. Boise State University Multiple-disciplinary partnership Research UAS/UAV flight Capstone course Cooperative grants

17. Idaho Department of Transportation Working on partnership to provide timely wildfire mitigation and alert information on electronic traffic boards or dynamic message signs (DMS).

18. Other Partners Nearby Fire Department & Districts Idaho Department of Lands Idaho Lands Resource Coordinating Council Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security Ada City-County Emergency Management Ada County Work in Lieu of Detention (W.I.L.D.) Ada Soil & Water Conservation District Agricultural Research Service Conservation Organizations Neighborhood Watch Project Learning Tree Public Utility Companies Healthy Hills Initiative NOAA IDANG Forest Service Ready, Set, Go! Fire Adapted Communities Volunteer Organizations Multiple Contractors Local Media

19. Oregon Trail Project Multi-year vegetation thinning project Successful partnerships: SWID RC&D Boise District BLM Ada County W.I.L.D. Power company Local church Four (4) HOAs Local contractors

20. Oregon Trail Project – Before

21. Oregon Trail Project – After

22. Oregon Trail Project Before After

23. Military Reserve Multi-year effort to reduce overgrown vegetation 180 acres Recreational area Partnership with BLM, SWID RC&D, Ridge to Rivers, Parks and Recreation, local homeowners and a goat-grazing contractor Wildfire occurred September 2012

24. Military Reserve 1132 lbs./acre Pre-Treatment Fuel Model 2: Timber Grass & Understory Post-Treatment Fuel Model 1: Short Grass 206 lbs./acre

25. Military Reserve Fire

28. Castle Rock Reserve Reduce overgrown vegetation 40+ acres Occluded recreational area Partnership with BLM, SWID RC&D, Ridge to Rivers, Parks and Recreation, local homeowners, a private school, Boy Scouts of America, other volunteer groups and multiple contractors

29. Castle Rock Reserve

31. Quail Ridge Sustainable Fuel Break

35. Warm Springs Mesa

36. Fire Station #1 Firewise Landscaping Demonstration

37. Fire Station #12 Native Firewise Demonstration Project

40. RAWS Stations Work with NOAA, NIFC and Boise State University. Goal: identify locations in the Boise Front for RAWS stations (1)Local weather research and data (2)Spot weather forecasts

41. TRAILHEAD SIGNS

42. Hydro Seeding vs. Broadcast Seeding

43. Wildfire Mitigation Forum

44. Lessons Learned Partnerships are the key to your success! Projects take much longer than expected You’re are not going to make everyone happy! Be creative with funding sources Garner community buy-in Kids should not play with fireworks Squirrels should not play on transformers People love goats